Litha
The longest day. The sun rises in the far north-east and hangs in the sky forever, and at the very top of its arc it turns, and begins the long slide back toward winter. Litha is the festival of fullness and of the first, faint knowledge that fullness does not last.
What it is
Midsummer was kept across Europe with bonfires on the hilltops, with wheels of fire rolled down into the valleys, with herbs gathered at dawn when their power was greatest, and with a great deal of staying up all night. The Church gave it to St John and the bonfires went on regardless. For witches, Litha is the God at the height of his power, the sun king crowned, and the moment the Holly King takes back the reign from the Oak King, so that even in the fullest light the dark half of the year has begun. The Goddess is the full-bellied Mother, the land heavy with the coming harvest.
How we keep it at the Hearth
- The fire on the hill. We find the highest place we can and light it at sunset. The ash is kept for protection.
- Gathering the herbs. St John's Wort, vervain, mugwort, yarrow, lavender and elderflower are picked at dawn on the solstice and dried for the year's work. Wreaths of them are worn and then thrown on the fire.
- The sun wheel. A wheel wound with straw is lit and rolled downhill, where the terrain and the fire service allow. Where they do not, a small one is spun on a stick.
- The Oak King's farewell. In circle we tell the story of the two kings and feel the year begin to turn.
- Staying up. The shortest night is for watching, as the longest night is. We greet the dawn tired and happy.
Correspondences
| Colours | Gold, yellow, orange, red, green |
|---|---|
| Foods | Fresh fruit, honey cake, mead, herbed bread, new potatoes, anything from the garden |
| Herbs and plants | St John's Wort, vervain, mugwort, yarrow, lavender, elderflower, oak, rose, chamomile, fern |
| Symbols | The sun wheel, the bonfire, the oak leaf, the spear, the bee |
| Deities honoured | The Sun King, the Oak King and Holly King, Áine, Lugh, Apollo, Sunna, the Mother |
Small things to do
- Watch the sunset and the sunrise on the same night. In the far north you can nearly do it without moving.
- Pick one herb at dawn and hang it to dry. Use it at Yule.
- Eat something you grew, or something someone you know grew.
- Sit in the sun for ten minutes with your eyes closed and feel it on your face. Give thanks. It will not always be this warm.
- Write down what is at its fullest in your life, and what you will do when it begins to wane.
A Litha blessing
Sun at your height, we have climbed the hill to meet you. Mother heavy with the harvest, Lord of the full-leafed wood: we are grateful for the light, and we are not afraid of its turning. Burn in us. Ripen us. Make us ready for the sickle.
Next on the wheel: Lughnasadh